αὖθιςγενόμενοι ‘born
again’ implies the re-incarnation of the Soul, as described in the end of Book
X: see on 608 D ff. It is from casual allusions like the present, made in all
seriousness, that we can best understand how profound and practical was Plato's belief
in immortality. The seed sown here may bear its fruit in another life, so that the
educator need not despair.

εἰςμικρὸνκτλ. is not merely ironical but
incredulous. We need not therefore (with J. and C.) be surprised at
Glauco's incredulity and wonder in X 608 D. For οὐδέν
‘a mere nothing’ ‘nought,’ the much less
expressive οὐδένα was conjectured by Hirschig and
others. An exact parallel may be found in X 608 C. The grandeur and elevation of this
passage recall VI 486 A.

The Republic of Plato. James Adam. 1902. Cambridge. Cambridge University Press.

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